A Parting Gift: An Outsider's Perspective

With special thanks and gratitude to Elisa Carlson, Director of Instruction for the Surrey School District, for allowing me this opportunity to share my perspective and insights on my learning journey as I move from #sd36learn to #sd38.

Innovative Learning Designs- A Parting Gift

The "Non-Tweetable" Moments

       

Non-Tweetable Moments

         


          I had never heard George Couros speak before... I'm pretty sure I just heard the collective gasp of a thousand educators. But somehow, by some cosmic fluke, I had missed out on numerous opportunities to attend sessions where George was the featured speaker. However, I'm happy to share that I have now joined the ranks of those who have laughed and learned alongside him. And I was able to share some of my learning as a participant in the "Edge Players" session organized by Elisa Carlson, Surrey School District's Director of Instruction, via the #sd36lead hashtag. In fact, many of the educators who attended yesterday's session shared their learning via Twitter. And there was a great deal to share. But some of my most profound and impactful moments can't be found by following a hashtag. These were the "non-tweetable" moments.
          You see, I've discovered George's secret weapon, his superpower. He shares. A lot. And when he shares, it makes others want to share as well. Without a doubt, much of what he shares in his sessions can be found online. He writes extensively on numerous, wide ranging and diverse topics. He is prolific on Twitter, connecting, sharing and engaging with his followers on a daily basis. But yesterday, in a room full of inspiring, creative, caring and innovative educators, I would argue that some of our most profound and impactful moments were in fact the "non-tweetable" moments, those moments when we had an opportunity to speak freely, to share our insecurities and fears, our challenges and concerns.

          You see, this kind of sharing requires a context, a shared experience, a common understanding. It requires an earned trust and a willingness to risk. And George's secret weapon is that he goes first. He began by establishing the parameters for the "non-tweetable" moments, and we followed his lead. And because of this, as much as I learned from George during the session, I don't think he will be at all offended for me to admit that I learned even more from my fellow #sd36learn educators.
          I am passionate about the power of Twitter as a platform for incredible professional learning and growth. It provides opportunities to connect and collaborate on a global scale. But at the same time, some of our most impactful learning comes from an opportunity to share and learn from those who are closest to us, the people in the room.

       

The People in the Room

          I have been privileged to be an educator for the past 16 years in a district that values innovation, risk taking, and ongoing professional growth and learning. The Engaging the Digital Learner series is just one example of an initiative that has been designed to celebrate, support, inspire and challenge educators, and it is one that has been especially impactful and meaningful for me. Having presented my own Ignite last year on Creating a Culture of Collaboration I have first hand knowledge of the exhilarating, and yes, somewhat nerve-wracking, experience that sharing one's passion in front of several hundred colleagues can be.

          This year, I have been fortunate to be able to work alongside Elisa Carlson, Director of Instruction for the Surrey School district, by assisting with the coordination of Ignite presentations. In her recent post, The Sharing Continues, Elisa captures the essence of the evening, noting that the learning extends beyond the room, and that "professional learning, in an era of technology, is now spilling out of its traditional boxes and spreading across organizations through the power of the internet and social media".

          In my role, I begin to connect with Ignite presenters via email and Twitter over the course of several weeks leading up to each subsequent session. In many instances, I've never met these individuals. As the largest school district in BC, Surrey is home to 101 elementary schools and 19 secondary schools. As well, some of our presenters travel from other districts and occasionally from other countries. But gradually, through numerous emails and across time zones and district boundaries, I come to "know" these individuals as they shape and refine their passions into a format that they are then able to share with their colleagues. What a privilege. 

          I finally have the opportunity to meet the Ignite presenters on the day of the session. I share their nervous excitement and anticipation as they move towards the appointed hour. While Elisa's video of the live streamed event provides the perspective of the audience, I have a unique perspective. Stationed at the front of the large banquet room, I am able to watch the audience, as the audience watches the presenters. As each subsequent presenter makes their way through their 20 slide, 5 minute presentation, I see their enthusiasm and passion mirrored in the faces of their audience. 

          Because as impactful and life changing as engaging in online platforms such as Twitter have been for me as I continue my own journey of professional growth and learning, these face to face sharing sessions hold their own power. I watch as individuals who have sometimes only "met" via social media, gather during each session, often playing the game of "match the tiny Twitter profile picture to the person". And I watch as that moment of recognition occurs and as individuals then greet each other like old friends. It's the same feeling that I get when I have the opportunity to meet, and shake the hand of a presenter for the first time. I get to match the passion and excitement conveyed by the numerous conversations via email, with the individual. 

          So while the Engaging the Digital Learner series celebrates and supports the principle of digitally connected educators and students, it also provides the essential opportunity for those irreplaceable face to face connections that form the foundation of a collaborative, trusting and innovative community. Yes, sometimes it's about reaching out, but other times it's just about spending some time with the people in the room. 

Surrey School District SD #36 Engaging the Digital Learner: Learning by Design series.

          

Context. Connections. Community.

          Context. Connections. Community. These are the elements of Parent/Teacher evenings that I value most. Yes, they're also about important conversations centred around student learning. And for my students, those conversations will be self directed. But as essential as those conversations are, for me it's the additional level of context, or insight into a students' life that is the most rewarding element of such a night.
          Facilitating Student Led conferences allows me the luxury of inviting more than just the "obligatory" parent into my classroom. Unlike some more traditionally structured parent/teacher interviews, Student Led conferences can be designed as a celebration of learning, where students are encouraged to share their successes, triumphs and challenges with parents, siblings, aunts, cousins or any other significant individual in their lives that they choose. I've written in previous posts about how essential it is to learn the stories of our students, and how this can often be a daunting task. I teach in a school of close to 1500 students...that a lot of stories to learn! But an essential piece of those stories is missing if we aren't inviting our communities into our schools. Each piece that I can add to that very complex puzzle provides context, context that informs how I can best support and empower my students in their learning and growth.
          One particular "story" comes to mind. A grade 11 boy. Typically quiet, even sullen in class. Try as I might, I couldn't get this kid to crack a smile. And believe me, I tried. As the time for Student Led Conferencs approached, I was pretty sceptical that this particlar student would attend. No surprise that for most teens, the prospect of having a conversation with families about "their learning" isn't exactly met with great enthusiasm. It takes some preparation and encouragement on my part, and the sincere promise that students will be determining the content and direction of these conversations...they choose the focus and the elements that they wish to share. I shake hands, offer coffee and cookies, and step back to allow the student to step up.
          But much to surprise, at the appointed hour not only did my grade 11 saunter through the door, but he was followed by both parents and the cutest, bubbliest, dressed in frills, little girl, who as I soon to discover was his sister. What immediately struck me how different my "sullen" student was with this little girl in tow. He proudly showed her where he sat, pointed out a poster on the wall that he'd comlpeted, and led he over to a computer to show her his blog. It was pretty clear that he doted on this little girl. The enormous grin on his face while she admired his work was evidence of that. Her presence transformed him. And it gave me an "in", a context, a connection.
          The next morning in class, this same grade 11 boy reverted back to his typically quiet, sullen self. Until I began to ask him questions about his little sister, at which point a small, shy grin replaced his usually stone-faced expression. That connection opened to door to a relationship that I was able to nurture and grow for the remainder of the semester. It established a level of trust. It gave me an "in", an opportunity to discover how best to support this student in his social, emotional and academic growth.
          So for me, as essential as it is for students to take ownership of their learning by leading their own conferences, the true rewards of such an evening come from the insight that I gain into my students' lives. Context. Connections. Community.
       
       

Adding pieces to the puzzle...

My Heroes Are...

My Heroes Are...

My students, who willingly take risks in my classroom every single day, bravely sharing bits and pieces of themselves with me and with their classmates, simply because I ask them to...

My colleagues, who can make me laugh, even before my morning coffee, and support each other despite increasingly demanding schedules, demonstrating an unending zeal for learning and discovery...

My family, who give me the enormous gift of time to explore my passions and forgive my numerous flaws and foibles...

My friends, who show such courage, overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges with grace and patience, all the while offering me unwavering support and encouragement...

They may not wear capes, leap tall buildings with a single bound, or possess supernatural abilities, but without a doubt, these are my heroes. 

Taking the Next Step: Collaboration Calendar & Shared Learning Resources

          Teachers at Sullivan Heights Secondary are ready to take the next step. Already "Taking the Lead" when it comes to establishing a culture of trust and collaboration, teachers want the opportunity to extend and build upon the "Teacher Drop in Day" experience.

Selection of responses from Learning Partners "Teacher Drop In Day" follow up survey.

          Teachers clearly valued the collegial and collaborative environment that was created by the day, but wanted the opportunity to extend the "Open Door" policy and sharing of innovative teaching and assessment practices, on an ongoing basis. As such, a collaborative partnership between Learning Partners and members of our Information Technology department, led to the creation of a "Collaboration Calendar".
          By using Outlook to create and share the "Collaboration Calendar" with our staff, teachers are now able to enter and share actives and assignments with their colleagues. They are then able to visit each other's classrooms before or after their teaching day, (Sullivan Heights operates on an extended day schedule) during prep time, or by accessing Learning Partners department release time for class coverage.
          Rather than being confined to a single day, we are now able to facilitate "Teacher Drop in" on an ongoing basis. As well, the goal is that the "Collaboration Calendar" will function as a digital artifact of the many great things that are happening in classrooms, and so even if teachers aren't able to visit on a particular day, they can still be inspired by the various activities that are entered on the calendar.

Learning Partners "Collaboration Calendar"

          While creating the "Collaboration Calendar" was a logical "next step", it also made sense to provide an opportunity for teachers to share the specific documents that accompanied the activities and assignments that they were entering. Ben Richardson, a member of the Information Technology department at Sullivan Heights, proposed the creation of repository of  "Shared Learning Resources" for this very purpose. Originally from Australia, Ben had previous experience with a similar sharing platform. The question was, which platform would best meet our needs?

Considerations as to which online sharing platform to use included:
1. Accessibility
2. Efficiency
3. Sustainability

         Ultimately, we wanted teachers to have easy access regardless of whether they were at school or at home, be able to share a variety of document types, and be assured that whatever we decided upon wouldn't be phased out within the next couple of years. It was determined that Google Drive met all of these criteria. As well, in a move towards the gradual integration of the redesigned curriculum, folders were created that will encourage and support teachers as they focus on creating lessons and assessments that connect to the "Core Competencies" .

          By accessing the shared Google Drive, teachers can upload a variety of documents, creating an enormously valuable repository of free, cross-curricular resources. Ultimately, the goal would be to perhaps extend this "sharing" of resources beyond the walls of Sullivan Heights, to other schools within the Surrey School District.

A sample of documents in the "Integrating Technology" folder. 

          As with any new initiative, Learning Partners will continue to gather feedback from staff and navigate challenges as they arise. But based on the culture of collaboration and trust that has already been established at Sullivan Heights, I have no doubt that our teachers will once again "take the lead" as they continue to demonstrate their willingness to take risks and reflect on their own professional growth and development as a means to enhance student learning and achievement.

 

Connections Over Content, Every Time.

 

     

So, a confession. I don't particularly love English. The subject, not the language.

I'm pretty sure I just heard a collective gasp from my students. 

And perhaps my principal.

          Don't get me wrong, I love literature and writing. And most of my students and colleagues know that I'm pretty fond of Shakespeare. And not so fond of poetry. But what I'm passionate about as an educator are the connections, not the content.

Relationships are essential. Punctuation isn't.

Another collective gasp.

          But it is the connections, the relationships, that I form with my colleagues, students, parents and members of the school community that I value most. These relationships inspire and energize me. Not the content. As a teacher leader, it is contributing to the larger vision and goals of my school and of my district that fills me purpose and passion. Not the content. 

          I was reminded of the importance of connections over content in a recent tweet by SD #36 Director of Instruction, Elisa Carlson.

          Her son's "favourite memory about learning" wasn't in any way related to the content. Clearly he had an awesome math teacher. But it wasn't a memory of a spectacular mathematical equation that resonated most. It was a unique experience, a connection that he had with that teacher. 

          I've had similar conversations with my own son. When I ask him about his day at school, more often that not, it's not a lesson or new skill that he shares with me. It's a joke his teacher told. Or something goofy that his principal did to entertain the students on the playground. 

          When my students come back to visit me years after they've graduated, they don't come back to thank me for teaching them how to analyze a poem, or integrate a quote, or write an essay. They come back because of a relationship. A connection. 

          Yes, my heart still fills with joy when a student of mine integrates a literary allusion into a tweet related to a sporting event. And yes, I have enough Shakespeare memorabilia in my classroom to open my own store. 

But I will take the connections over the content, every time.